Memon Sports Club fronting a side in the just started NIC T20 cricket tournament suffered a rude welcome as Coast Gymkhana restricted them to 91 runs for 7 wickets on Saturday 14th at the Mombasa Sports Club Grounds. Gymkhana opting to field first faced Yusuf Musani (19) and Essak Kasmani (13) giving 22 extras to see the target of 91 on the board at the end of the first innings. Mitesh Patel (2/9) bowling a good line to keep Memons at bay. In reply, Coast Gymkhana’s Jalpesh Vekharia (25) and Shreyash Desale (17) made light of the score although AbdulRahim Harunani (3/13) and Luqman Bachani (2/21) gave a scare half way through the innings. In the end, Gymkhana secured their 2 points against a disappointed Memon team.

Sunday 15th did not see fortunes change as Memon Sports Club took on Shree Cutchi Patel at the same venue. Batting first, Memon S.C could not cross 50 as Paresh Bhudia (5/11) tore through their line-up, Yusuf Musani managing 10 of the 48 runs scored. In reply, Paresh Bhudia was at it with the bat as he scored 32* to take his side to a sliding victory. It was a Paresh Bhudia show but Memon Sports Club just need to pick up the pieces and rethink their strategies before their next game in the coming weeks

Mombasa Jaffery Sports faced Burhani Sports Club in the 3rd T20 of the day and managed to recover their lost composure in the first match. Burhani put in to bat at 71/3 (Yusuf Hussein (20) and Talha Khan (17)) were going well before Mujtaba Walji took the ball and with 4/17 restricted Burhani to 97/7 in their 20 overs. In reply, Mombasa Jaffery managed the score with 22 balls to spare as Mohamed Fazel (36)* and Morris Ouma (52)* disappointed the Burhani Bowlers. Yusuf Hussein (1/9) restricted by the four over per bowler rule.

Four teams with 2 points sit behind Mombasa Sports Club who are unbeaten in both their games to-date. In the 40 over league, Mombasa Sports Club fought hard to cling on to the cup they have been winning for years as they took on Coast Gymkhana at the later’s grounds. Jalpesh Velkaria (18) and Harshil Gohil (16) tried valiantly to put some runs on the board against Taaha Suleimanji (4/12) and Dev Hirani (2/23) managing a modest 104 in 35 overs. In reply, Mitesh Patel’s (2/22) could not stop Sagar Karia (57) and Nilay Thakkar (29) taking the scores to 105 within 19 overs.

Mombasa Sports Club hold the lead with barely a point in hand with 4 games to go.

The NIC T20 becomes colourful as the 40 over league hangs in the balance with five sides in both competitions fighting for the top three slots with no clear winners in sight. After a number of years have we seen such competitive results in the local cricketing circuit and it can only be made better by the presence of fans that has been sorely been lacking.